MLB.com calls for Diamondbacks to go ‘all in’ at trade deadline

Sitting just one game out of a Wild Card spot with less than a week until the 2024 trade deadline, the Diamondbacks find themselves in a position similar to last year.

With one of the worst team ERAs in baseball, their needs are clear. The only question is whether the front office will be willing to go to the market as full-blown buyers for the second consecutive season.

Mike Hazen, the general manager, mentioned a month ago that he would be ready to buy if the Diamondbacks were still in the race come late July. Fast forward to the present day, and the D-backs are vying with the Mets for a Wild Card spot.

In a report by Anthony Castrovince on MLB.com, which highlighted nine teams that need to be “all in” at the trade deadline, the Diamondbacks were featured in the middle of the pack. Castrovince wrote:

“In the muddled mess that is the NL Wild Card picture, it’s hard to know which clubs should be pushing their chips to the middle of the table. But we’re singling out the D-backs in that group because of the heavy lifting they already did in the wake of their run to the NL pennant last year. They took a franchise-record payroll into what has been a disappointing 2024 to date. But the possibility for improved health and performance for the rotation in the second half makes the D-backs dangerous.”

Castrovince mentioned several names as potential trade chips, including Brandon Pfaadt, Jordan Lawlar, Tommy Troy, Druw Jones, and Deyvison De Los Santos. Pfaadt, in particular, stands out due to his recent success in Arizona’s rotation. Castrovince noted that Pfaadt is “a player of interest around the league” and could be traded if the Diamondbacks pursue a major deal.

As for players the D-backs may target, Castrovince focused on bullpen help, stating, “Estévez, Scott, Michael Kopech, and Pete Fairbanks are some of the more notable names that could be available.”

The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. ET on August 1st, slightly later than in previous years